Recently I saw a much-awaited animation of recent times : Arjun - The Warrior Prince.
Exceptional Movie! And if it makes a purist like me say this, it surely must have been an epic for the average masses who don't delve much into the details of Mythology. The movie was strong in all its departments - Script, Direction, Editing, Animation, Sound Effects, Music Score, Dialogue Delivery, Song Rendition, Art Direction, Costume Design - and all that remains. Perhaps Bollywood movies that boast of budgets 500 times that of Arjun could take a leaf or two from its success. The film was running until its fourth week - a rare precedent for an indigenous animated film.
Arjun used 3D simulation for its background whereas all characters in the movie remained 2-dimensional. And they used their scissors wisely... clipping off gross episodes from the Mahabharata that're not suitable for sensitive audience. Except connoisseurs of Animation, this film was most likely to be watched by young children. The scene where Yudhisthir stakes his wife to gamble, the Draupadi vastra-haran episode.... or the point where Kunti asks her sons to 'share' Draupadi.... these trivia have been totally eliminated, projecting Panchali as Arjuna's wife alone all along.
However it's the narration that takes the cake. The thrills and suspense come unexpected.
Then again, they've taken cinematic liberty to alter major segments of the original Mahabharata. Here, Krishna supposedly instructs Arjuna of Bhagavad Gita much prior to the war. Shakuni is portrayed like a caricature as ever. And Panchal King's challenge for his daughter's Swayamwar is tailored too. But no one's complaining. Because this gives the film an opportunity to explore events of the Mahabharata from an artist's viewpoint. Once Arjun takes his dive into the bubbled turquoise waters, he not only hits the fishes' eye with his valour, he leaves the audience equally breathless!
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